Crispy rice makes a warm base for tender hot-smoked mackerel, crunchy fennel and juicy orange. A bright lemon-mustard dressing and dill bring everything together.
This rice bowl is all about contrast: rice with a golden, crispy underside alongside tender, briny mackerel and fresh fennel. Orange adds juiciness and a hint of bittersweet flavor. The dressing of lemon, olive oil and mustard keeps everything bright enough to balance the rich fish; dill adds a herby note without overpowering the other flavors.
Cold, cooked rice works better here than warm rice. The grains are firmer and can be pressed into a compact layer in the pan. That lets the bottom fry gently instead of steaming. Ideally, use rice that has cooled completely and come straight from the fridge. If you don’t have any leftover rice, cook it according to the package directions, spread it out on a clean tray and let it cool quickly. Then cover and refrigerate the rice; don’t leave cooked rice at room temperature for a long time.
A wide frying pan gives the rice plenty of contact with the hot surface. Press the rice down and let it fry without stirring at first. If you turn it too soon, the grains break apart and the rice has less chance to form a crispy crust. After that, you can divide the layer into pieces and turn them over. A nonstick pan makes this easier, but it also works in a well-heated stainless steel pan with enough oil and patience.
Slice the fennel as thinly as possible, using a sharp knife or mandoline, for example. Raw fennel stays fresh and crunchy; letting it sit in the dressing briefly mellows its flavor a little. Orange segments with the white pith removed look neat and are pleasant to eat, but regular segments are fine too. No hot-smoked mackerel on hand? Smoked trout works well, although it changes the flavor. You can also replace the orange with grapefruit for a more pronounced bitter note.
Serve the bowls as soon as the rice comes out of the pan, so the crispy pieces don’t soften from the dressing. Put extra dressing on the table if you like a little more acidity. This makes a complete lunch or dinner; as part of a larger meal, it goes well with a simple green salad. Quickly cover and refrigerate any leftovers, and eat them within two days. Reheat the rice and fish thoroughly; the rice will be less crispy.
To make the dressing, mix 1 tbsp olive oil with the lemon juice, mustard and a few grinds of black pepper. Set aside.
Slice the fennel bulb as thinly as possible. Peel the orange and cut out the segments between the membranes, or cut the fruit into regular segments.
Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a wide frying pan over medium-high heat. Loosen the cold rice with your fingers, add it to the pan and press it into an even layer. Sprinkle the salt over the rice.
Fry the rice for 8–10 minutes without stirring, until the underside is golden brown and crispy. Divide the layer into rough pieces with a spatula, turn them over and fry for another 4–5 minutes.
Divide the crispy rice between two bowls. Arrange the mackerel, fennel and orange on top. Drizzle with the dressing and finish with dill. Serve immediately.
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